Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques
Episodes
183. Rethinks: How Anxiety Can Fuel Better Communication
04 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Reframe anxiety as a strength and use stress to enhance your communication.Stress, anxiety, nervousness — when these feelings inevitably arise, lect...
182. Stop Chasing Time and Start Owning It: Communication, Happiness & Wellbeing
30 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Clarify your purpose — and stop wasting time.The new year gives us an opportunity to reflect on who we are and who we want to be. As we set resoluti...
181. Why Happiness is a Direction, Not a Destination: Communication, Happiness & Wellbeing
28 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Why connection is the key to a life well lived.The new year gives us an opportunity to reflect on who we are and who we want to be. As we set resoluti...
180. Unlocking Your Future Self: Communication, Happiness & Wellbeing
23 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Why creating happiness in the future starts today.The new year gives us an opportunity to reflect on who we are and who we want to be. As we set resol...
179. Finding Positive in Negative Emotions: Communication, Happiness & Wellbeing
21 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A double definition of happiness — and how to cultivate both parts.The new year gives us an opportunity to reflect on who we are and who we want to ...
178. Navigating Chaos and Uncertainty: The Power of Transparency and Empathy
14 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Clear communication during times of uncertainty.Whether leading people through a 15-minute meeting or a years-long pandemic, communication requires co...
177. Don’t Resolve, Evolve: Top 10 Lessons For 2025
07 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ten essential communication strategies designed to elevate your skills.2024 has been an incredible year for learning and growth, and as we head into 2...
176. From Stereotypes to Synergy: Communicating Across Generations
31 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Age diversity and cross-generational synergy can transform an organization.Most of us know age diversity matters in the workplace. But according to UC...
Ask Matt Anything (AMA) 1: Trust, Paraphrasing, and Nonverbal Cues
26 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Enjoy this preview of our first Ask Matt Anything (AMA).We are excited to introduce this special edition of Think Fast, Talk Smart, featuring a previe...
175. Mastering Toasts and Tributes: Making Your Words Count
24 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Crafting impactful toasts for every occasion."Almost reflexively, most of us focus in the moment on how others are perceiving us, yet these situations...
174. Fix Meetings: Transform Gatherings Into Meaningful Moments
17 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Turn any meeting or get-together into a chance for deep connection and collaboration.Whether you’re holding a team meeting or hosting a family get-t...
173. Rethinks: Surviving the Holidays
10 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Master holiday conversations.The holiday season is a time of joy, connection, and, occasionally, communication challenges and as we gather with family...
Between the Lines: In Storytelling, Simplify to Amplify - Premium Sampler
05 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Visit fastersmarter.io/premium to become a Premium subscriber."Start with the action moment or right before it," advises Hilary Price whose one-panel ...
172. Bring Mindfulness to Your Communication
03 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Mindfulness can transform your communication and your career.When we react, our instincts and impulses are in the driver’s seat. But when we take th...
171. Advice from Nontraditional Storytellers Part 2
28 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Make your audience a part of the story.Great storytellers don't just relay information — they create experiences. As magicians, TikTok influencers, ...
170. Advice from Nontraditional Storytellers Part 1
26 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Wisdom from the witness stand to the newsstand.The best storytellers might not call themselves storytellers at all. But from litigating in the courtro...
169. Don't Be a ZQ: Make Your Conversations Count
19 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What makes a great conversation?“Many of us dread small talk,” says Harvard Business School professor and author Alison Wood Brooks. Yet sh...
Launching: Think Fast Talk Smart Premium
14 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Introducing our new Premium membership, designed to enhance communication and career skills with expanded content and tools. Enjoy early access to liv...
168. How Story Can Change Everything in Your Career
12 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Make your message memorable.“Immediately forgettable” — that’s how Matthew Dicks describes most of the business communication that he encounte...
167. Hollywood Lessons For Successful Communication
05 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Beyond the Big Screen.Every business meeting, product launch, or marketing communication has something in common with your favorite movie: they all su...
166. Why Relying on Talent Alone Will Fail You
29 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Why practice is the key to success.If there’s anyone who knows about performing under pressure, it’s former NFL quarterback Andrew Luck. Whether p...
165. Building Your Personal Brand Makes a Promise: Are You Keeping It?
22 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Create more meaningful communication by defining your audience. Before you even think about communicating a message, defining a brand, or developing ...
164. Rethinks: Using "Pre-suasion" to Influence Others
15 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The inner workings of social influence and persuasion.Want to change someone’s mind? First, explains Robert Cialdini, you have to change their frami...
163. Is Your Audience Ignoring You? How Authenticity Creates Connection
08 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How acceptance and authenticity can transform all of our interactions.What’s the key to experiencing deeper connection in our communication? Accordi...
162. Unlock Career Opportunities: How to Make the Right Moves
01 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Being present in the moment and staying open to whatever unfolds.We all want to lead lives and careers full of joy and fulfillment. Maggie Baird certa...
Bonus: How to Manage Speaking Anxiety the Think Faster, Talk Smarter Way
26 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Gain control over your speaking and excel in your communication.For the first anniversary of his book Think Faster, Talk Smarter, Matt Abrahams shares...
161. Do Your Homework: Know What to Say by Knowing Who You’re Talking To
24 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Know your audience and tailor the message for them.In high-stakes communication, every word counts. For Jen Psaki, that means knowing who she’s talk...
160. Rethinks: How to Communicate Your Gameplan
17 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Why organizational strategy can be both top-down and bottom-up.As Professor Jesper Sørensen sees it, a winning strategy is the result of conversation...
159. Earn Your Audience: You Can’t Lead If No One’s Listening
10 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What it takes to develop as a leader.Great leaders and great communicators aren't born, they're made. That's why John Hennessy and Tina Seelig, direct...
158. Hope for Cynics: Building Trusting Relationships through Communication
03 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
“Acts of trust are the bedrock on which relationships are formed.”There’s a lot in the world to make us cynical about other people and their mot...
157. Communicating the Future: Defining Where We Want AI to Take Us
27 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Artificial intelligence can now do a lot of things. But if you’re worried about it taking your place as a communicator, Russ Altman says you need to...
156. Creative Communication: How Our Design Choices Illustrate Our Values
20 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As a designer, Scott Doorley is interested in how humans create the world around them. It’s a conversation, he says, that starts with the question: ...
155. Can We Be Candid? How to Communicate Clearly and Directly
13 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Navigators know the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. In charting a course through communication, Susan Rice says the best rout...
154. Rethinks: Communicating Better as a Leader
06 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
"In a leadership role, so much more of communication is about connecting with people, establishing shared humanity, motivating them, inspiring them, s...
153. Listen Up, Leaders: A Record-Setting Coach’s Guide to Communication
30 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Tara VanDerveer has more wins than any other coach in NCAA basketball history. But as she says, motivating and leading teams isn’t about barking ord...
152. Fix Your Communication: Why It’s About Connection Over Perfection
23 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
“Anything is fixable,” say Frances Frei and Anne Morriss. As cohosts of the Fixable podcast, they’re typically the ones doing the fixing, but on...
151. Get Hired: How the Right Communication Can Advance Your Career
16 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Whether winning over a hiring manager or winning new business, career success often hinges on how we communicate. That’s why Andrew Seaman is on a m...
150. Communication Tips from the Classroom and Around the World
09 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes, what’s communicated to us can have a big impact on how we communicate to others. This episode explores some of the best communication adv...
149. Rethinks: How to Take Risks in Your Communication, Relationships, and Career
02 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
“What people regret over time are things they didn’t do. They didn’t take that trip, they didn’t ask that person out on a date. They didn’t ...
148. Conviction and Compassion: How to Have Hard Conversations
25 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In our personal and professional lives, some conversations are harder than others. To navigate the difficulties of discussing what matters most, Profe...
147. Disrupt Yourself: How to Innovate Who You Are and Become Who You Can Be
18 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Innovation and disruption aren’t just for organizations. According to Whitney Johnson, we can find new possibilities for personal and professional g...
146. Stress Resets: How to Change Your Internal Dialogue to Communicate Better
11 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Stress can get in the way of our communication with others. To manage our stress, psychologist Jenny Taitz says, we first need to adjust the conversat...
145. Rethinks: The Art of Negotiation, How to Get More of What You Want
04 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Whether we realize it or not, we negotiate everyday. But when we approach these situations as a win-or-lose battle, we’re already showing resistance...
144. Communicating Through Conflict: How to Get Along with Anyone
28 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Many of us would rank getting along with colleagues as an important aspect of work, but, as Amy Gallo explains, relationships devoid of disagreement c...
143. Adopt a VC Mindset: Achieve More by Thinking and Communicating Like a Venture Capitalist
21 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In choosing who to date, what job to pursue, or how to invest our money, most people are just looking for a reason to move forward. But according to P...
142. Power and Persuasion: Live Insights from Stanford Experts
14 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A special live edition from the Me2We event at Stanford, where strategic communications expert and podcast host Matt Abrahams joins four distinguished...
141. An Invitation for Innovation: Why Creativity Is Found, Not Forced
07 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
So you want to lead your team toward innovation. Does that require that you know where you’re going? Not according to Linda Hill.Hill is a professor...
140. Rethinks: How to Handle a Skeptical Audience
30 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Preparing to speak in front of a skeptical audience is more than thinking about objections beforehand – there are specific techniques you can use to...
139. Lose Yourself: The Secret to Finding Flow and Being Fully Present
23 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Whether you're looking to boost your productivity, find more joy in your work, or simply be more present in the moment, you need flow — and research...
138. Speak Your Truth: Why Authenticity Leads to Better Communication
16 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
From the way you communicate, to the way build your life and career, Graham Weaver, MBA ’99, says it’s about “giving yourself permission to full...
137. When Words Aren’t Enough: How to Excel at Nonverbal Communication
09 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If communication is like painting, words are the primary colors. But to convey deeper meaning, we need a broader color palette, which Dana Carney says...
136. The Art of Disagreeing Without Conflict: Navigating the Nuance
02 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Disagreement and conflict may look the same on the surface, but the two concepts are, in fact, very different. According to Julia Minson, knowing how ...
135. Rethinks: The Personal and Professional Power of Emotional Awareness
26 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How are you feeling right now? According to Celine Teoh, we all need to ask ourselves that question more often — and be more precise in how we answe...
134. How to Chat with Bots: The Secrets to Getting the Information You Need from AI
19 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Join Matt Abrahams with creativity and innovation experts Jeremy Utley and Kian Gohar to explore the transformative potential of AI in the realms of c...
133. From Good to Super: How Supercommunicators Unlock the Language of Connection
12 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Across more than 130 episodes, Think Fast, Talk Smart has touched a lot on what it takes to be a good communicator. But what about reaching that next ...
132. Lean Into Failure: How to Make Mistakes That Work
05 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Effective and productive teams and relationships are based on the ability to communicate safely and to fail successfully. In this episode, Amy Edmonds...
131. Friction Fixing: How to Use Obstacles to Your Advantage
27 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Friction — that’s Professor Huggy Rao’s metaphor for the forces that hamper workplace efficiency. But as he says, some friction can be helpful —...
130. Rethinks: How to Maintain a Powerful Presence in Your Communication
20 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
“Simple language, forceful language, vivid language, and keeping it simple and direct,” says Professor Jeffrey Pfeffer, are all powerful tools to ...
129. Connect Deeply: How to Communicate So People Feel Seen and Heard
13 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
All too often, we communicate without really connecting. The key to building deep connections with others, says David Brooks, is to make them feel see...
128. Four Powerful Principles Pt. 2: Your Questions Answered
08 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Join Matt Abrahams engaging with his international audience and answering questions that touch upon some of today's most pressing communication challe...
127. Four Principles of Powerful, Focused Communication Pt. 1
06 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Matt takes live questions from his worldwide audience and shares a lesson around concision, relevance, accessibly, and precision in messaging. In this...
126. BONUS Making Meetings Meaningful: When Face-to-Face Meetings Matter
30 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If we want to generate better ideas, then we need to get people back to the office.In this bonus meetings mini-series episode, we feature an episode f...
Think Fast, Talk Smart: The Podcast (A Sound Bite!)
29 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Whether you’re giving a toast or presenting in a meeting, communication is critical to success in business and in life. Join Matt Abrahams, a lectur...
125. Making Meetings Meaningful Pt. 2: Key Ingredients for Effective Meetings
23 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How can we make meetings more effective? How can we keep people engaged and interested? Whether it’s in person or on Zoom, here are a few techniques...
124. Making Meetings Meaningful Pt. 1: How to Structure and Organize More Effective Gatherings
16 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Delve into why people hate meetings, explore what hinders their effectiveness, and how to change that. Karin Reed (Emmy Award winner) and Joe Allen (“...
123. Rethinks: Why Curiosity Is Communication’s Secret Weapon
09 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The information you receive is only as strong as the questions you ask.This week we revisit Matt's discussion with Debra Schifrin about how to craft i...
122. How To Be More Confident and Calm in Your Communication: Managing the "ABC’s" of Communication Anxiety
02 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Research-backed techniques on how to beat nervousness in the moment. In this episode, Matt uses clips from experts from previous Think Fast Talk Smar...
121. Building Trust and Connection: How to Lead with Vulnerability
26 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We have to be vulnerable in order to build trust in our relationships. But as Jacob Morgan says, “Vulnerability for leaders is not the same as it is...
120. A Few of Matt’s Favorite Things: 10 Communication Takeaways from 2023's TFTS Episodes
19 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt reflects on all the advice we've heard this season and shares the top 10 takeaways that he’s applying to his own communication:Episode Referenc...
119. Rethinks: How to Embrace the Benefits of Stress
12 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
“Stress is natural,” says Alia Crum, an assistant professor of psychology at Stanford. “Stress is inevitable when you’re living a life that’...
118. Maximizing your Personal Brand: Communicating Who You Are to Help Get What You Want
05 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What comes to people’s minds when they think about you, and can you control it? Dorie Clark says you can — with the power of your personal brand.A...
117. Say It, See It: How to Connect Through Conversation
28 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Communication is about so much more than sharing words. As neuroscientist Shane O’Mara explains, communication is about sharing reality.According to...
116. Quick Thinks: Don't Sweat the Small Talk
21 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Even if you don’t think you’re a natural, anyone can become proficient at the art of small talk by utilizing the right tactics and behaviors. In t...
115. Rethinks: How We Set and Achieve Goals
14 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Why do we do what we do? What factors drive us? And how do things like competition with others help us achieve our goals?These are the questions most ...
114. Communication Means Paying Attention: The Four Pillars of Active Listening
07 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We should all be audience-centric in communication. But, as Julian Treasure contests, we need to take it one step further. What is the listening I am ...
113. Missing Something? How to Kick FOMO with Conscious Decision-Making
31 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What if you had that job? What if you were with that person? What if there’s a better option out there? If you find yourself asking these questions,...
112. From Mistakes to "Missed Takes"
24 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This episode we're sharing an excerpt from Matt Abrahams's audiobook, Think Faster, Talk Smarter. Listen in as Matt explains how to think like a movie...
111. Rethinks: How to Spark Creativity in Your Communication
16 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
“Sparking communication starts with asking why or what or how.”On this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Tina Seelig, the Professor of the Practi...
110. Write It Well: How to Craft an Email to Capture Busy Readers
10 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Whatever you’re writing, Todd Rogers says most people are too busy to read it. That’s why, he says, “you want to make it as easy as possible for...
109. Simplify! How to Communicate Complex Ideas Simply and Effectively
03 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
You said it. But did they hear it? For Frances Frei, communication is about saying things simply enough for an audience to truly understand.As a profe...
108. All In: How Improv Helps You Show Up and Communicate Well
26 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If you’re reading from your notes, you're going to miss the magic of the moment. That’s why Adam Tobin, Dan Klein, and Patricia Ryan Madsen bring ...
107. Think Faster, Talk Smarter: How to Speak Successfully When You're Put on the Spot
19 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, executive producer Jenny Luna interviews host and strategic communications lecturer Matt Abrahams about the tips and tools in his new...
106. Rethinks: Using Skills From Improv to Master Your In-The-Moment Communication
12 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In January of 2020 we launched Think Fast Talk Smart with the goal of helping people improve their communication skills. Now, with more than 100 epis...
105. Radical Candor: The Communication Shift That Can Transform Your Career
05 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Moving forward in our careers often means giving and receiving feedback. But how candid can we be in communicating with others? For Kim Scott, anythin...
104. How to Change: Building Better Habits and Behaviors (And Getting Out of Your Own Way)
29 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
"We're wired to look for the path of least resistance and efficiency, and that's normally a good thing, but it can get in the way when we want to make...
103. Simple Is a Superpower: How to Communicate Any Idea to Any Audience
22 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The best communicators express ideas simply. And to do that, says Carmine Gallo, “you have to connect with people in a language they understand.”G...
102. Create a Presence: How to Communicate in a Way Others Can Feel
15 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What does it take to have a presence that’s felt by those around us? According to Muriel Wilkins, the answer is simple: Be present.“Having presenc...
101. We Belong Together: How Communication Fuels Connection and Community
08 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When it comes to emotional and physical wellbeing, Psychology professor Geoffrey Cohen says there is one healthy behavior that outweighs the others: a...
100. Shut Up! How to Communicate Better by Talking Less
01 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What does it take to be a more effective communicator? According to Dan Lyons, it starts with knowing when to shut your mouth.As a journalist, author,...
99. Rethinks: How to Handle Challenging Conversations
25 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Being a better listener has a lot to do with silence, says Collins Dobbs, a lecturer in management at Stanford Graduate School of Business. “A lot o...
98. Give It to Me Straight: How to Give Honest, Constructive Feedback
18 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How do we deal with professional blind spots? According to David Dodson, MBA ’87, we need the panoramic perspective of those who work around us.“...
97. No Rules, No Trust: How Accountability Shapes Communication
11 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Communication is like a game. For it to work, each person has to trust that their partner will play by the rules. As Professor Anat Admati says, the s...
96. Rock and Role: How Assigning Gender to Inanimate Objects Influences Us
27 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Why is a boat a “she?” Why give names like Alexa or Siri to inanimate pieces of software? According to assistant professor of organizational behav...
95. The Power of No: How Boundaries Help Us Live More Empowered Lives
20 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Saying no can seem risky. We worry about offending others, damaging relationships, or hurting our own reputation. But as Vanessa Patrick says, no is a...
94. LEADing ideas: Research-Backed Tips and Tools from Four Stanford Professors
13 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Breaking new ground, Think Fast, Talk Smart steps into the world of live events, bringing together an eager audience of LEAD students from Stanford Un...
93. All the Feels: The Personal and Professional Power of Emotional Awareness
06 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How are you feeling right now? According to Celine Teoh, we all need to ask ourselves that question more often — and be more precise in how we answe...
92. No Regrets: How to Take Risks in Your Communication, Relationships, and Career
30 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
“What people regret over time are things they didn't do. They didn't take that trip, they didn't ask that person out on a date. They didn't start th...
91. Um, Like, So: How Filler Words Can Create More Connected, Effective Communication
23 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We’re often advised not to use “um” or “uh”, or “so” and “you know” in our communication. But linguist Valerie Fridland might argue ...
90. Rethinks: Brains Love Stories – How Leveraging Neuroscience Can Capture People’s Emotions
16 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, lecturer and podcast host Matt Abrahams sits down with David Eagleman, a neuroscientist and the host of the...
89. Listen, Listen, Listen: How to Build Deep Connections
09 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Whether you’re trying to build a romantic or professional connection, Rachel Greenwald’s advice is exactly the same. “Focus on how you make some...